Marco

What do city workers J.D. Lingerfelt, Rick Gragg, Jack Feazell, Melvin Nunn, Jack Coakley, and Cameron Clark have in common?



You guessed it - 60 gallons of paint and a pool in need of painting.


Yep, it's prep time for the Haynesfield Pool that opens for the 2012 season on Saturday, May 26.


Anybody for a game of Marco.....................Polo?

Window

When asked the other day how are things in the city, the best reply was also the most simple:  just look out the window.

Saw

What is one of the things that makes a good carpenter good?

Measuring not once, but twice, before cutting.

Make sure that you measure twice before acting - now that's good advice we should all live by.

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History

Do you like history?  How about museums?

If so, stop by the Slater Community Center to see the Tennessee State Museum's first traveling exhibit to Bristol. 

The "50th Anniversary of Tennessee Sit-Ins" chronicles the landmark events that helped shape the civil rights movement of the 1960's.

The exhibit is open from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursdays, and Fridays, and from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays.  There is no charge for admittance.

The exhibit will continue through June 6th.

Expired

Do you have old, unwanted, unused, or expired prescription or over-the-counter medications that you need to dispose?

Bring them to the City Hall parking lot this Saturday, April 28th, for the Police Department's “Prescription Drug Take-Back” day.  The event will take place from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.

All materials collected will be properly and safely disposed by incineration - which is good for the environment - and good for you too.

Onward

Whew - things have been busy at city hall these days.

Besides developing a sound financial and work plan for the coming year, the staff has been busy on a number of major fronts to be shared soon.

The economy is getting stronger as evidenced by an uptick in retail sales; and we're seeing more inquiries regarding development projects and new construction showing up at our doors.

We still have a long way to go and a whole lot to do - but the signs are trending in the right direction.  And that's the kind of busy that makes you feel good - and work even harder.

Distinction

The 5th Annual Mayors' Award of Distinction award ceremony took place today at the Paramount Center for the Arts.

The honorees recognized for their unselfish contributions to Bristol over the years are Ruth Jerauld "Jerry" Hill Goodpasture, Mimi Price Kind, and James White, Jr.

Sharon Randall, award-winning writer and columnist, gave the keynote address to a large crowd.

Special thanks are in order to the entire award evaluation panel and its chairperson, Gary McGeough, as well as to Garick Zikan, WCYB News Anchor, who served as Master of Ceremonies.

The 2012 program was coordinated by our Department of Community Relations under the direction of Terrie Talbert.  Good job to all that made this a special day in Bristol.

Arbor Day

Bristol celebrated Arbor Day on the campus of Anderson Elementary School today.  

Mr. Bannish’s 5th grade class from Anderson Elementary attended the event, along with representatives from BTES, the Tree Board, and Tom Simpson, State Urban Forrester for East Tennessee.

The City was presented its 24th consecutive Tree City USA Award from the Arbor Day Foundation.  This is a national designation that less than 15% of cities in Tennessee receive annually.  In addition, Bristol  received the Growth Award for the 18th time.  This award requires the city to go above and beyond the Tree City USA requirements.  According to Mr. Simpson, Bristol was the only Growth Award recipient in the state this year and holds the State record for the most Growth Awards.

As is customary, a tree was planted to commemorate the event and all of the 5th graders were given seedlings to take home.  

Quint 3

The Fire Department recently took delivery of its newest rescue vehicle - Quint 3.

This combination aerial/ pumper truck includes a 2,000 gallon per minute pump, 750 gallon water storage tank, and a 60-foot aerial ladder.  It will assume front line duty at Station 3 on 17th Street.

The truck cost $617,541 of which $168,817 was provided by Sullivan County.  Thank you Sullivan County.

Another $63,000 in rescue equipment was purchased and will be placed on the truck including self-contained breathing apparatus, hose, nozzles, tanks, and a thermal imaging camera, among other equipment.

Battalion Chief Dwayne Honaker, Lieutenant Jeff Hendry, and Assistant Chief Mike Carrier (photo left to right) traveled to Pennsylvania to bring it safely back to Bristol.  It will be placed in service by the end of April.

Rocky

I just saw something today I've never seen before - and perhaps you haven't either, until now.

Tadaa!  A black squirrel in Steele Creek Park.

I pulled into the parking lot at the Lodge this morning and saw this furry creature climbing the tree immediately in front of me.  A quick call later to Parks and Recreation Director Terry Napier and my sighting was confirmed.

A black squirrel.

According to Nature Center Manager Jeremy Stout, these are still the common species found in the park, Gray Squirrels (see photo top right).  According to Jeremy, natural variability exists in all populations and almost any mammal can carry the genes for being all white or black.  But these traits are almost always recessive, so unless both parents pass the abnormal genes, then all the squirrels will still be the normal type, gray.

The first black squirrel was seen about two years ago in Steele Creek Park, and now several are present.  This implies the genes for melanism (black) may be more common in the Steele Creek sub-population than in most other places.

So look for the black squirrels next time you visit Steele Creek Park - a photo just doesn't do them justice.

Think

$485,000.

That's how much the city will spend on street lighting this year.

That's $1,325 every night to light the way in our neighborhoods and on our thoroughfares.

Some things you never think about - until you think about them.

Paper windows

The city recently unveiled a new program called Paper Windows - A photographic vision of Bristol.

Have a camera?  Then you're ready to participate.

Here's all you have to do - send us up to 3 photos each month of your favorite city scene, person, or event that corresponds with that months topic of focus.  For example, the theme for March 30 - April 21 is Nature's Green Light, or what spring in Bristol means to you.

Each month all of the photos received will be evaluated by an impartial panel of 4 judges with a background in professional photography.  The 5th judge is you - simply go to the City's Facebook page and "like" a photo from each session.

Each of the winning photographs from this 12 month-long photographic essay of Bristol will be captured in a 2014 city calendar

For more information:   .http://bristoltn.org/paperwindows.cfm

99

99th day of the calendar year - I give it a perfect 100.

Great

A good place to live on Good Friday  - and every other day too.

Understating the obvious.

Pot of gold

A rainy day rainbow in Bristol.

Never did find the pot of gold though....but I know it's out there.

Camera

The Nature Center began a new project with the Community Relations Department to be aired on our governmental channel, BTN-TV16.

Two time-lapse cameras were installed to capture seasonal changes across the lake and knobs of Steele Creek Park.

One camera will be stationery and will be installed on the Nature Center itself, while the other will be set to take more frequent images of wildflower emergence during the spring season.

Stay tuned to BTN-TV16 - you never know what you'll see - but you'll be glad that you did.

April fools' day

April 1 - All Fools' Day - and I just got had.

Hard at work this Sunday morning trying to finalize the 2013 budget when a call of distress came in from a business associate.  Took it bait, line, and sinker.

Now I do have an excuse -sort of - as my mind is focused on goals, objectives, and the requisite human and financial resources to accomplish the same in the coming year.

But still - I shouldn't have been so gullible.  After all, it is that day for merriment and practical jokes.

So my advice to you my friends - be on guard - at least for the next 24 hours.